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Uni's IT recruit paid more than other workers: ICAC

Malcolm Brown

Sydney University ... where a manager is being investigated for corruption. Photo: James Alcock

An IT employee at Sydney University received a job with "substantially more" pay than other employees without going before a selection panel but after being nominated by a senior officer at the university, the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard today.

It also happened that Adrian John Buxton had had a close relationship with the officer, Atilla (Todd) Demiralay.

Mr Buxton had invited Mr Demiralay to his wedding and the christening of his children.

Before he got the job at the university's centre, he had told Mr Demiralay that he was looking for a job with remuneration that was "not too far off" $96 a hour.

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At the hearing, headed by assistant ICAC commissioner Theresa Hamilton, Mr Buxton agreed that, before getting the university job, he had exchanged numerous emails with Mr Demiralay as to how to compose his CV and had included Mr Demiralay as a referee.

The ICAC is inquiring about recruitment practices at the university's IT centre.

More than $1.7 million was paid over several years to a recruitment company partly owned by Mr Demiralay.

Mr Buxton said that he had simply been nominated for the university position by George Tsipidas, who was Mr Demiralay's brother-in-law.

In answer to Jeremy Morris, counsel assisting the inquiry, Mr Buxton said that he was aware there should have been a selection panel but he wasn't aware that his remuneration was so large compared with equivalent positions.

Panagiotis Smeros, who had worked at Transfield Services with Mr Demiralay's wife Virginia Kantarzis, said that Mr Buxton had had Ms Kantarzis and Mr Demiralay at the christening of his children.

Mr Smeros had applied for a job at the university as well and had gone before an interview panel.

He said he had not been surprised when he saw Mr Demiralay on the panel.

He had got the job.

Another former workmate of Ms Kantarzis at Transfield Services, Andris Selemat said he had had a close social relationship with her before also getting a job at the IT centre.

Mr Smeros had told him that there was a job available at the university but that he would have to get the job through Succuro Recruiting.

The ICAC hearing has heard that Succuro Recruiting was partially owned by Mr Demiralay and Ms Kantarzis and that the company had received a "placement fee" for the staff which they found for the university and there had been a continuing financial arrangement.

Mr Selemat said he had gone before a selection panel that included Mr Tsipidas but he could not recall whether there had been anyone else waiting to be interviewed.

Related Coverage

20 Mar
An IT manager at Sydney University had either paid, or recommended payment of, invoices totalling more than $1.7 million over five years to a company in which he and his wife had an interest, the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard today.

21 Mar
A Sydney University IT manager chaired a selection panel that gave a job to his brother-in-law, then had that man sit on a panel that gave a job to a former workmate of the IT manager's wife, the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard today.

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